How industrial design improves sales. New values of complex equipment

The commercial success of our customers is the priority requirement for product development. We use industrial design as a tool for improving sales due to creating the values for new products. How does it work? We show it on the example of the design project of the operator’s workplace for the Kontur 1500 road marking machine.

In the design of complex equipment, the roles that interact with it, are taking into account. This interaction means work with equipment, delivery, and repair.

We have identified the main roles for which we created new values:

1. Road marking the business owner.
2. Service personnel.
3. User, operator.

After this, we described the new values for each of the roles:

1. Road Marking Business Owner:

• Machine obsolescence rate:

o preventive design solutions to slow down the process of machine obsolescence (the possibility of resale in the secondary market)

o recommendations for the use of materials (durability)

• Design as the way marketing and advertising for b2b sales

o easy to keep the machine clean

o recommendations for the requirements for the manufacturing culture

o competitive and functional design of the machine

• Acceleration of service, reduction of time for a changeover, and change of technological devices
• Reduced training costs thanks to mnemonics, intuitive operation of the machine

3. Service personnel:

• Providing access to units with incomplete removal of external parts
• The convenience of washing, organization of a moisture removal system
• Simplicity and speed of changeover, re-equipment, and testing of the machine

III. User, operator

• Creation of an ergonomic operator’s workplace
• Passive safety and creating a sense of safety
• Gas outlet outside the operator’s work area
• Workplace injury safety
• Ease of access to the workplace (to the cab)
• Creation of places for storing personal belongings
• Easy to reconfigure the workplace
• Creation of simple, clean, and fast loading/filling with working materials of the machine
• Increased visibility from the workplace
• Review and control of technological devices from the workplace
• Protecting the operator from the sun and residual precipitation
• Creation of a proposal for the use of external components of the body kit in terms of price/functionality/aesthetics

These values formed the basis of the technical requirements and constraints in the development of the future device. A visual reference image of the product was defined based on these requirements. The conceptual development of the operator’s workplace and the appearance of this place has been done. At this stage, we have prepared ergonomic diagrams and basic instructions for the technology of manufacturing elements and parts. Also, role-based tunnel scenarios for working with the product are described.

While working on the project, we became an extension of the internal development team of the customer company, STiM LLC. We participated in the tests, carried out field supervision over the development of design documentation and the manufacture of a prototype.

“Kontur 1500” is intended for road marking. The machine can be equipped with three replaceable modules for marking the required material: paint, thermoplastic or cold-applied plastic.

The industrial design gives the product an edge in the market improving sales of your device.  Looking at the product through roles helps to identify new values. It allows you to set higher aesthetic and functional properties during development.

You don’t know, how to improve sales of your product? Just get in touch with us!